2013 Map of Cove Creek Gap

About this map

Shelton Laurel and the high ridge of Mount Sterling anchor this survey of the North Carolina high country. The landscape is defined by its verticality, rising from the Pigeon River and the reservoir of Waterville Lake to prominent peaks like Scottish Mount and Buzzard Roost. Small, high-altitude settlements such as Ola and Nellie are situated along the winding paths of Little Cataloochee Cr and Cataloochee Cr, showing the localized habitation patterns of the Haywood County mountains. The map details an extensive network of ridges and coves, including Wading Branch Ridge and Rathbone Cove, which once supported isolated homesteads and high-meadow agriculture. Former fire observation points at Mount Sterling Lookout and Sutton Top Lookout highlight the strategic importance of these summits for forest management within the surrounding wilderness areas.